4 Bid tendering manager jobs in Birmingham

Job Description

At Hft, our vision is to create a future where learning disabled people can live the best life possible. We do this by coming together to campaign for positive change, provide personalised support and create solutions that enable people to live independently.

We’re looking for an experienced Tender and Contracts Manager to join our Business Development team and play a key role in helping Hft win new business, retain existing contracts and grow our income.

This is a key role for an exceptionally strong bid writer with proven experience within the social care sector. You’ll need to be able to develop compelling, persuasive and high-quality tender responses that demonstrate a clear understanding of commissioners’ requirements and position Hft strongly against the competition.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys bringing together commercial thinking, exceptional writing, project management and stakeholder engagement. You’ll take ownership of the end-to-end tender process, from identifying opportunities and making go/no-go recommendations through to submission and post-tender review. You’ll also manage the income contract lifecycle, ensuring our contracts are well governed, compliant and effectively managed from award through to renewal.

What you'll be doing

You’ll be the central point of contact for tendering and contract management activity across Hft, working with colleagues across finance, operations, legal, governance, marketing and communications, as well as external partners.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the full tender lifecycle, from opportunity identification and go/no-go decisions through to contract award.
• Monitoring procurement portals and relevant platforms to identify new business opportunities.
• Coordinating internal and external contributors to ensure high-quality, timely submissions.
• Leading the writing, editing and quality assurance of compelling, high-scoring tender responses that directly address evaluation criteria and maximise our chances of success.
• Using exceptional bid writing skills to develop persuasive responses that clearly articulate Hft’s value proposition, demonstrate our social care expertise and differentiate us from competitors.
• Translating complex operational, technical and commercial information into clear and persuasive narratives.
• Developing strong value propositions, win themes, case studies and supporting evidence.
• Maintaining a central bid content library and ensuring our tender materials remain accurate, current and effective.
• Developing supporting tender documentation, including methodologies, pricing narratives, mobilisation plans and social value commitments.
• Managing the full income contract lifecycle, including awards, variations, amendments, renewals and change control.
• Maintaining an accurate contract register and monitoring key dates, obligations, risks and milestones.
• Working closely with finance and governance colleagues to ensure appropriate oversight, approval and risk management.
• Providing clear reporting and insight to senior leaders on the tender pipeline, contract portfolio, risks and commercial commitments.
• Leading post-tender debriefs and using feedback and lessons learned to continually improve our approach.
• Helping to build Hft’s organisational capability through training, guidance and support for colleagues involved in bid and tender activity.

What we're looking for

This role is not simply a contract management position. We are looking for an exceptional bid writer who understands social care and can turn complex information into compelling, high-scoring tender submissions.

Essential experience

You must have:

• Significant experience working within the social care sector, with a strong understanding of the sector, commissioning environment and the needs of social care providers.
• Exceptional bid/tender writing skills, with a proven ability to write persuasive, compelling and high-quality responses that meet evaluation criteria and demonstrate clear value.
• At least 3 years' experience in a bid, tender or proposal management role.
• A proven track record of managing end-to-end tender processes and producing successful submissions.
• Experience of managing contract variations, renewals and change control.
• Experience managing multiple bids and live contracts against demanding deadlines.
• Outstanding written, editing and proofreading skills, with an exceptional eye for detail.
• The ability to understand complex procurement, contractual and service information and translate it into clear, persuasive and engaging written responses.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to influence and coordinate colleagues at all levels.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to identify and escalate contractual and financial risks.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to remain calm while managing competing priorities.
• An understanding of governance, delegated authority, risk and audit requirements.
• Knowledge of UK public procurement legislation, including the Procurement Act 2023.

The person we're looking for

We're looking for someone who is an outstanding communicator and writer, with the ability to take information from multiple stakeholders and turn it into a coherent, persuasive bid that tells a compelling story.

You’ll be confident challenging and influencing contributors, asking the right questions to draw out the strongest content and ensuring every response is targeted towards what the commissioner is looking for.

Most importantly, you'll understand social care. You’ll be able to draw on your sector knowledge and experience to demonstrate how Hft can deliver high-quality services, achieve positive outcomes for people and provide commissioners with confidence in our ability to deliver.

We are seeking both strong social care experience and significant bid/tender writing experience

If you're an experienced bid and contract professional looking for a role where you can make a real difference, influence strategic decisions and help shape how an organisation approaches growth and commercial opportunities, we'd love to hear from you.

Strategic Finance Partner

Salary: £52,380 – £55,789

Location: National / predominantly remote working

MLC Partners is recruiting a Strategic Finance Partner for a large, highly impactful organisation operating nationally across the UK.

This is a strong opportunity for a finance professional who enjoys genuine business partnering rather than traditional month-end-focused finance. You’ll work directly with senior operational leaders, providing financial insight, constructive challenge and commercial support to help them make better decisions and identify financial risks early.

The role is predominantly remote, with a national remit and connection to a regional business unit.

The role:

As Strategic Finance Partner, you’ll manage relationships with a portfolio of Operational and Central Directors, providing targeted financial support where it can have the greatest impact. This includes regular strategic reviews, identifying emerging risks and providing financial challenge ahead of key decisions.

• Partner with operational leaders to assess financial performance, risks and opportunities
• Develop financial options and recommendations to support decision-making and service sustainability
• Provide financial input into commissioner and customer discussions, including funding, performance and contract variations
• Support the resolution of significant income and invoicing issues
• Provide finance input into bids, tenders and re-tenders, including pricing, assumptions and sustainability
• Deliver practical financial training and coaching to non-finance colleagues
• Work closely with FP&A, Financial Control and Shared Services to ensure decisions are supported by robust financial information

About you:

You’ll already have experience within finance business partnering or management accounting, with a track record of supporting budget holders and reviewing financial performance. You should be comfortable identifying financial risks, understanding the commercial and operational drivers behind the numbers, and working collaboratively across a wider finance function.

You’ll need:

• Strong financial and analytical skills
• The ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders
• Confidence influencing and challenging senior stakeholders
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Good Excel skills and confidence working with financial systems

The organisation is open to part-qualified candidates, so this could be particularly attractive to someone progressing through ACA, ACCA or CIMA who already has solid business partnering experience and is ready for greater senior stakeholder exposure.

If you’re looking for a role where finance is genuinely expected to partner, influence and challenge, please get in touch with Annabelle at MLC Partners for a confidential conversation.

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Contract Type: 21 hours per week. Initial 12-month fixed term contract with the potential for extension and/or a permanent position at the end of the term.

Salary: £27,00 - £30,000 per annum dependent on relevant experience (£45,00 - £50,000 FTE)

Base: Remote/Hybrid

About us

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Do you want to work with like-minded professionals in a great team?

Rees seeks to support those who have, at some stage in their lives, been in foster care or residential care, including those with custodial experience. The charity understands the importance of having a lifelong support network. Our aim is to help care experienced people thrive in all aspects of their lives at any age. We seek to listen; and offer help and advice about any aspect they may have.

Rees delivers its services and products to public and voluntary sector commissioners, businesses, other agencies, and professionals.

Role Purpose

The Head of Commercial Income is a senior leadership role and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

The postholder will lead the Charity's commercial income function, with responsibility for growing sustainable income through commissioned and commercial services, training, Ask Jan membership and other opportunities.

This is a strategic, commercially focused and hands-on role. The postholder will be a visible face of the Charity, building strong relationships with local authorities, commissioners, public sector organisations, businesses and other partners. They will identify opportunities, understand customer and commissioner needs, develop compelling propositions and secure sustainable business.

A particular focus will be growing the Charity's position within the statutory sector. The postholder will develop a strong understanding of local authority priorities, commissioning, procurement and purchasing processes and use this insight to anticipate emerging needs and create opportunities for the Charity to provide innovative and valuable solutions.

The postholder will lead and develop the Commercial Income function, with the Business Development Manager and Training & Commercial Services Co-ordinator reporting directly to them. They will set direction, priorities and targets while maintaining an active role in developing relationships, identifying opportunities, progressing bids and supporting commercial negotiations.

Working across the Charity, the postholder will ensure commercial opportunities are translated into high-quality, financially sustainable services that deliver positive outcomes for care experienced people.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Provide strategic and commercial leadership for the Charity's commissioned and commercial services, training portfolio and Ask Jan membership offer.
• Lead and develop the Commercial Income function, line managing the Business Development Manager and Training & Commercial Services Co-ordinator.
• Set clear commercial priorities, targets and performance expectations and ensure the team has a strong focus on growth and results.
• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the leadership, planning and future development of the Charity.
• Develop a proactive, creative and customer-focused commercial culture across the function.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Income and Development, Head of Service Delivery and wider Leadership Team to maximise income and impact.
• Balance strategic leadership with direct involvement in key commercial relationships, opportunities and negotiations.

Strategic Partnerships and Business Development

· Provide strategic leadership to the Charity's relationships with local authorities, commissioners and key partners, building senior-level relationships and positioning the Charity as a trusted partner.

· Oversee the commercial services pipeline, providing direction and support to the Business Development Manager to identify, prioritise and progress opportunities for growth.

· Develop approaches to securing new commissioned and commercial opportunities, working with Service Development and Service Delivery colleagues to shape services in response to market and beneficiary needs.

· Provide senior leadership and input on key bids, tenders and commissioned service proposals.

· Represent the Charity at strategic commissioning forums, partnership meetings and senior stakeholder events, promoting its expertise, services and impact.

· Monitor developments in commissioning, procurement, public policy and relevant markets, using this insight to identify emerging opportunities and potential challenges.

Commissioned and Commercial Services

• Provide overall strategic oversight of the Charity's commissioned and commercial services portfolio, ensuring services meet contractual obligations, quality standards, agreed outcomes and financial targets.
• Work with operational and service development colleagues to ensure services respond effectively to commissioner and customer needs.
• Identify opportunities to develop, improve and expand existing services and create new commercial offers.
• Ensure commercial propositions are viable, deliverable, competitive and aligned with the Charity's mission.
• Monitor market, commissioning and policy developments and identify their implications for the Charity's services and commercial opportunities.

Training and Ask Jan

• Provide strategic leadership for the continued growth and development of the Charity's training offer and Ask Jan membership service.
• Ensure training and membership propositions remain relevant, innovative and responsive to customer and sector needs.
• Identify opportunities to develop new training, membership and other commercial products and services.
• Work with colleagues to ensure these offers are effectively positioned, developed and brought to market.

Financial and Operational Management

• Provide strategic oversight of the financial performance and sustainability of the commercial income portfolio.
• Set and monitor income, growth and performance targets and report progress to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.
• Oversee the commercial pipeline, income forecasting, contract performance and retention.
• Ensure commercial services are delivered within agreed budgets and provide value for money.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, pricing, sustainability and long-term income.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring, reporting and evaluation arrangements are in place for commercial activity.
• Ensure commercial activities comply with contractual, legal, regulatory and organisational requirements.

General

• Work collaboratively across all departments to maximise impact for care experienced people.
• Maintain an awareness of developments in local government, commissioning, procurement, children's services, social care and the wider charity sector.
• Promote the Charity's expertise, services and impact and protect its reputation through high-quality commercial relationships.
• Ensure the Charity's commercial activity remains consistent with its values, purpose and commitment to care experienced people.
• Contribute to organisational planning, continuous improvement and long-term sustainability.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the level and responsibilities of the role.

Essential

• Significant experience of leading and growing commercial income, commissioned services, business development, sales or other income-generating activity.
• Proven track record of securing new business, growing existing contracts and generating sustainable income.
• Experience of building strong relationships with local authorities, commissioners, public sector organisations and other senior stakeholders.
• Experience of leading or overseeing successful tenders, procurements, bids or commissioned service proposals.
• Understanding of public sector commissioning, procurement and purchasing processes, ideally with experience of local authorities and the statutory sector.
• Experience of identifying customer or commissioner needs and developing services, products or propositions in response.
• Strong commercial and business development approach, with the ability to build relationships, influence decision-makers, negotiate and secure business.
• Experience of managing and developing staff within a commercial, business development, sales or income-generation function.
• Strong commercial, financial and strategic awareness.
• Ability to combine strategic leadership with an active role in business development and income generation.
• Creative, proactive and opportunity-focused, with excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Rees Foundation.

Desirable

• Experience of working with local authority children's services, social care, leaving care, corporate parenting or related statutory services.
• Knowledge of the care experienced and/or social care sectors.
• Experience of developing and selling services to local authorities or other public sector organisations.
• Experience of managing training, membership or subscription-based services.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, GDPR, charity governance and relevant regulatory requirements.

Application Process

The closing date for this position is Tuesday 15th September 2026. Please note that we reserve the right to close applications before the advertised closing date or extend the application window at our discretion.

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and welcome applications from those who are care leavers.